Pleasantly surprised would be a good term to use for how I felt about the Hessian town of Lahntal. It’s not very big, barely 41 square kilometers spread out around the Lahn Dill Berland Park area over seven villages.
Most people come to see the tower of the village church in Sterzhausen. Even I was hard pressed not to be in awe of this massive stone tower; said to be one of the oldest buildings within the Lahn Valley.
They’re not my words — but it does date to around the 12th century so that could very well be true. And totally not true if the 10th century Burgstall Brungershausen was still around. It’s not, sorry.
Instead of looking for a long-gone castle, how about going to see the Wichtelhäuser Steine — a massive, natural rock grouping in Brungershausen? :-)
Brungerhausen is really small, with not even 100 residents. So, that means plenty of space along the Lahntal Bike Trail.
Caldern is a lot more populated (just over 1300 people), once visited by St. Boniface. This village once had its own monastery, which might be gone now, but its 13th century Romanesque church is still around. So are parts of its original medieval walls.
In the village of Goßfelden there’s a museum of the works of Otto Ubbelohde, who just so happened to be one of the most famous illustrators of the Brothers Grimm stories. His grand-niece, BTW, lives in his house today.
This is also where the 4-day Village Festival has been taking place for the last 600 years. This isn’t an annual event, mind you, but held only once every seven years.
Only three villages left to see. Kernbach’s biggest site is its 17th century timber-framed church. The village of Sarnau also has one of these to see, and since it lies along the Lahn River — a leisurely stroll along the banks is quite soothing to the soul.
The quite village of Göttingen (it doesn’t even have 300 residents) can do the same thing, ya know. If you’re wanting to hop along the upper Lahn Valley Railways, this is where you need to be.
Not me, Friends, I’m going out into the countryside — you’re right at the foothills of the Rothaargebirge. Plus, the view from the Rimbergturm is extraordinary.
Pleasantly surprised? No, totally fascinated would be a better term.
